What's actually selling in East Van right now

Hi {{first_name}},

I walked through three open houses in Mount Pleasant last weekend. Two condos on Main Street and a townhouse near the brewery district. All three had offers by Monday. Not bidding wars, but clean, firm deals within 3% of asking. That's the spring market we're seeing on the ground right now: inventory is still tight in the neighborhoods people actually want to live in, and buyers who've been waiting for "the crash" are starting to move.

The headline rate cuts haven't changed as much as you'd think. Yes, the Bank of Canada dropped rates twice since January, but the five-year fixed mortgages most buyers are locking in? Still hovering around [X.X%–X.X%, confirm with your mortgage broker]. It's not 2021, and it's not going back there. But if you bought in the last few years and you're sitting on a variable rate from the peak, now's the time to talk to your broker about what a refi looks like.

Here's what I'm seeing in the neighborhoods I cover:

Spring 2026 market snapshot: East Van & Mount Pleasant

• Median condo sale price (East Van): [approx $XXX,XXX], up [X%] from this time last year
• Days on market (Mount Pleasant 1–2BR condos): [XX days], down from [XX days] in Q4 2025
• Active listings (East Van and Mount Pleasant combined): [XXX units], still below the 10-year average for this time of year
• What's moving fast: Updated 1-bedrooms near transit, anything walkable to Commercial Drive or Main Street, townhouses under [$XXX,XXX]
• What's sitting: Older stock that needs work, buildings with deferred maintenance or high strata fees, anything priced like it's still 2022

Translation: If you're thinking of selling and your place shows well, this is a better spring than last spring. If you're thinking of buying and you've been pre-approved, the competition is real but it's not panic-level. You just need to move when the right place comes up.

One thing worth knowing: the new buyer credit nobody's using yet

[Current first-time buyer program in BC, confirm with a mortgage broker] quietly expanded eligibility this year. If you or someone in your circle has been renting and saving but thought they were "a year or two away," it's worth a 15-minute call with a broker to see if the math changed. I'm not saying it makes homeownership easy (it doesn't), but I've had two clients in the last month discover they were closer than they thought.

I'm also seeing more sellers willing to include a chattels credit (appliances, window coverings, sometimes even furniture) to help a deal close. It's not advertised, but it's negotiable. If you're buying and the place you love is $10K over your max, ask. Worst case, they say no.

If you're thinking about a move this year

Spring inventory usually peaks in May, but we're already seeing solid listings hit the market now. If you've been thinking about upsizing, downsizing, or relocating within the city, let's talk before the summer crush. I'm doing [15-minute strategy calls] for past clients who want to know what their place is worth in this market or what's realistic to buy right now.

Not ready yet? That's fine too. Just reply to this email if you want me to send you new listings in a specific neighborhood or building. I can set up a custom search that doesn't spam you with everything.

Thanks for being part of my network. I don't take it for granted.

Riley

Riley Tan Realtor® | East Van & Mount Pleasant riley@example.com | [604-XXX-XXXX] Book a 15-minute call